rob

Nothing different from Nicholls again tonight. A good rider no doubt about that but a shame he has all the country's expectations on his shoulders. How long before he's back racing in the Elite League?

Didn't see that result coming! Looks like it could be a competitive GP season with the young generation of riders like Jonsson and Lindgren really able to mix it up with the likes of Crump, Hancock & Adams who showed they're far from past it. Nicki Pedersen to win again though. Can't see any likely challenge from the British riders, they're simply not at the same level.

Is Davidsson scoring better in the Swedish league than he is here in Britain?? Perhaps he has an 8pt average, so his selection would be no surprise in Sweden.

I don't think Simon Stead or Chris Harris have ever ridden regularly in Poland, and so will have little experience of Polish tracks. However i believe both should do okay, as both Stead and Harris are big track riders, whose careers got going on the larger circuits. However Mark Loram definitely should ride if fit, even if it means dropping Joe Screen. If Britain are to win, we need the best team. Be ruthless if necessary, this is sport. As the last post says, remember last year Joe Screen told Middlo to pick Havelock for the final. Perhaps he'll do the same thing this year. Screen definitely wants GB to win, with him there or not.

Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else. At Belle Vue this evening it was announced that Josh Auty and some of his fellow under 15 riders are set to have some demonstration races prior to Saturday's GP. It'll be good for them to get to ride in front of so many people, well done the authorities for letting them do it.

Thanks for the help.

Has anyone used the trains to get away from Cardiff after the GP?? I was wondering whether there were additional services to the timetable, and where these trains were going - Newport, Bristol...??? I can remember there being big queues at the station quite late at night in the past. Did everyone get on the train?? I don't really fancy sleeping rough in Cardiff until 5 in the morning. Can anyone help??

If the TR rule is to be scrapped at the forthcoming BSPA AGM we need another controversial breakdown on the last lap of a major televised meeting so that the TR can be used in Heat 14. Perhaps this will happen in the EL Play-Offs, and then there will be outrage like there was after the Eastbourne vs Poole match. Hopefully this will happen and the promoters will scrap the rule. I hope they are aware of our feelings.

The organisers probably will be trying to spread the riders out evenly between the nations. Taking what Arnie suggested, the current top 8, plus Nicholls, Richardson, Hampel and Bjerre that leaves. Australia 2 Jason Crump & Leigh Adams Poland 3 Tomasz Gollob, Jarek Hampel, and Tomasz the qualifier. GB 2 Lee Richardson & Scott Nicholls Sweden 3 Tony Rickardsson, Andreas Jonsson & Antonio Lindback USA 1 Greg Hancock Denmark 3 Nicki Pedersen, Bjarne Pedersen & Hans N. Andersen (Who'm i missing??) Plus the last seed, which has to be between Ryan Sullivan & Lukas Drmyl IMO. The way they're spread out seems pretty good, not a bad field at all.

Does that mean that Simon Stead will not be appearing for Workington at Somerset on Friday evening?? If so i think i'll give that match a miss as Workington without Stead were beaten easily when the two teams met in league action. R/R didn't do them any favours.

Having less GP riders should benefit British speedway as there will be less fixture disruption. Teams with no or one GP riders could ride on Friday nights if they wished.

What an appalling new rule. We, as spectators, will be the ones who suffer. At Exeter for instance there are loads of teams with riders who are hopeless, and riders who are excellent. Now next year we'll have to put up with 4 rides from Mark Courtney, who doesn't even bother to ride, and won't be able to enjoy an extra appearance from Nigel Sadler, who is excellent. In one sided meetings we look forward to the opposition top riders being out on track, we don't really care how the opposition No. 7 is developing. That's not what we pay our money to see. I reckon this is a pathetic new rule, at least send them back 15 meters, but no, it'll be just the same, but they'll score double for doing nothing extra. Bring back the tac subs, quickly.

See http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forum/view...opic.php?t=4867 Surprised not more comment on this yet.

Look at the article in today's Speedway Star. There's likely to be 16 riders per GP from 2005 onwards. Top 8 from 2004 will qualify + 2 from qualifiers + 5 permanemt extras + 1 local wildcard. No qualification rounds at all from 2005. Sounds good. EL promoters should be happy.

Ole Olsen should be sacked in my opinion. If he's in charge of track preparation then putting down the wrong ingredients is inexcusable.

Well done to the 6 qualifiers. Protasiewicz has definitely improved this year, in the EL & GPs so he certainly deserves his place. All the others have qualified on merit, so they all deserve their GP place.

In my view this is the only way forward. 5 British clubs for instance could race against 5 from Poland and Sweden, and one from Denmark, Czech Republic and Germany making a 18 team league, 34 matches, TV coverage across Europe. The only problem is to get the Poles and Swedes agreeing!! And for their to be sufficient quality riders.

But bring back the Young Shield. That gave the teams in the middle realistic targets after poor starts. If so, bring back the Premier Trophy. The local derbies are good to open up the season No way this can happen. 36,000 people were at Cardiff last year; that's more than 5 times the number that stood at Coventry in the cold in 2000. No. It would be a financial disaster. If teams want to race in the EL then move their on their own accord. Look at the trouble happening in Sweden and Poland with their finances. This would develop British young riders, as when in trouble promoters would just look overseas.

What's the point of having young riders if they're going to be out of their depth?? People like Stonehewer and Barker aren't that old anyway. I agree, Stuart Robson should be in the squad.

If Loram still decides not to ride in the SWC, i'd select the following five: Lee Richardson Scott Nicholls David Howe Dean Barker David Norris with Carl Stonehewer on stand by.

I don't agree really with give the youngers experience view. At the moment GB should field the best 5 riders possible. It's this year that counts, and we should do our level best to win, this year. Denmark didn't exactly drop any older riders to ride with the likes of Gjedde last year. He and Bjarne Pedersen were in the best 5 riders so were in the team, not just because they were young and had potential. They also had Hans Clausen in the team so they weren't exactly all out youth. Therefore i believe GB should race with their best 5 riders. The likes of Harris, Stead, Bird etc can come in when they are good enough, and as they race against top riders every weel, or at least they should be, I reckon they should all be Elite League full time and riding in Sweden and/or Poland, there shouldn't be too much of a difference when they step up. As for Loram i reckon he should ride. If I were GB team manager i'd select the following: Scott Nicholls Mark Loram Lee Richardson David Howe (who is up to standard already) Dean Barker with David Norris on standby, with Carl Stonehewer.

Here's my 5 qualifiers: 3. Bjarne Pedersen DK 4. David Howe GB 8. Piotr Protasiewicz PL 9. Lukas Dryml CZ 12. Peter Karlsson SE 16. Billy Janniro US

Great GP. Well done to many riders, especially Tomasz Gollob, who showed he's still a class act, Tomasz Bajerski, who should be offered a place in the Elite League, and Scott Nicholls, who raced smartly. Also good battling performances by David Howe and Mark Loram. I didn't think Leigh Adams would win, but it keeps the championship race well open, with 5 winners from 5 rounds.

Maybe, but surely reprasenting the USA comes before patritism to BSI. What did BSI do to upset him anyway?? Without Hamill and Fisher USA will be very weak, but Britain will benefit due to the USA meeting GB and Australia in the qualifier.

No relegation please. That would ruin speedway. Look at the pressures it causes rugby promoters. No-one will invest money if they could be in the 2nd division the next year.